Chapter 6

Fiona swirled the whisky in the glass and looked up at her boyfriend in the doorway of the lounge. "Go to the Police," Greg repeated and Fiona crossed her arms.

"If you say that again I shall go h—," the awkward girl started and scowled. "I shall go somewhere else."

"Dad thinks I should just call them and get them to take a statement."

"I can't prove any of it," Fiona replied. "I know them. They will all get together and say that I put on a little show for them. I bet they have put ten pounds in my desk drawer or something like that and they will have got their stories straight. Plus, they will say that I attacked that nasty little conniving two-faced, vicious ... cunt, and it will just be hell."

Greg gulped and Fiona crossed her arms. "I'm sorry but I think you are wrong."

"I am not wrong," the tearful young lady snapped. "And if you..."

"Greg," the voice of his father boomed and he entered the kitchen. "Greg. Your mother and I have been talking. We think we need to tell the school and the Police and..."

"Please," Fiona cried and wiped her eyes. "Just please don't. I don't want to involve them. I just want to get away from that place and just have a day or two without ... those despicable bastards." Greg gulped and glanced over at his Dad.

"I'll sort," Greg replied and ushered his father from the small room. He returned with a laptop and microphone and Fiona looked up from her glass of Scottish whisky mistrustfully.

"What are you doing?"

"You are going to make a statement," he told her and she shook her head. "You are Fiona Holmes," he said manfully and looked over her as he pressed the power button. "And I am going to record it."

"I don't want to think about it," the young lady snapped and Fiona took another sip of a big tumbler full of Greg's father's best spirit. "I don't want to and..."

"You need to think about it while it is still fresh." Fiona shook her head and Greg looked at her. "For me Fiona. Everything we do is what you want to do. Do this for me, and then I will take you to bed and we can cuddle up together 'cause I know that's what you want." Fiona snorted, but Greg loaded the software he needed and plugged the microphone into the audio jack. He pressed a button and sat down. "Interview of Gregory Hollands with victim, Miss Fiona Holmes. Friday November the..."

"What are you doing?" Fiona snapped.

"Interview. In case we need it. I've seen it on A Touch of Frost. And The Bill," Greg responded and licked his lips.

"Well don't. I am not in the mood."

"We need to do this properly. Interview with Gregory Hollands and the victim..." He trailed off as Fiona sighed and cleared his throat. "Yeah, and after this I will get the main computer up and use the webcam to take a picture of those wrists and bruises," he replied and cleared his throat. "So, in your own words, tell me what happened?"

"I was in my room asleep and they put a pillow over my head," Fiona started as her shaking hands held onto the whisky. "And then it all went black."

"It's only four pages," Greg chastised his girlfriend and she looked at her boyfriend's father with a pleading glint in her eyes. "All day you've been up!"

"I've been helping your dad," Fiona cried. "And it's fine. I've got all the main points and you have the recording saved. I can't believe you made me do all that."

"Yes, but I said you needed to get it down. And I have saved it onto the ZIP drive just in case as your notes are really short and..."

"I have no idea what any of this means, and I have a lot to get through. So I would love a cup of coffee." She held out her empty cup to her partner and he sighed as he left the small office where his girlfriend was working through the ledger of the family firm.

"You should have called the Police, you know," Toby added as Greg left. "He was right you know."

Fiona bit her lip. "I couldn't have coped with it," she admitted. "And Greg took loads of pictures on that webcam of everything. All the marks, and bruises. But I just know it doesn't prove anything and..." She shrugged and wiped her eyes. "I'm sort of glad he made me do the recording but I can't tell him that."

"Why?"

"Because then he will get sanctimonious." Toby chortled and Fiona rubbed her nose. "I can't have him getting complacent, can I?" The middle-aged man smiled at her as she looked down at the papers in front of her. "Talking of getting complacent, what the hell's been going on here?"

"You don't have time to do little things when you are running a business," he said guardedly and Fiona sighed.

"You need to make time," she demanded and coughed. "If you can't then get my boyfriend to do it," she snapped and picked up her red pen.

"Then you'll never see him," the balding man said with a grin and Fiona shrugged. "Between his job at the café and homework and..."

"Doesn't his responsibilities to the family come before the café?" Fiona asked with smile. She began crossing off entries on the copy of the ledger. She had already identified dozens of duplicate entries and had even helped him draft letters to some of his suppliers requesting credit or refunds for duplicate payment of their invoices. Toby watched as she pored over a document. "Last year, did you really use two deliveries of gravel in Winchester Close?"

He shrugged. "I dunno."

"Well check," she snapped and watched as he pulled up a lever arch folder bursting at the seams. "And is that sorted by date or surname?" It was a rhetorical question and she knew it, and started leafing through the paperwork. She passed the dog-eared piece of paper to Toby and looked at the door as Greg entered the small office with two hot drinks. "You need to help your Dad get on top of this," she spat as he put the coffee on the desk.

Greg recoiled from her harsh words and the teenager mumbled. "He's OK," Toby answered for his son. "He's got a lot on and..."

"Rubbish!" Fiona snapped. "Absolute rubbish. You are always talking about that bloody games console you've got. A bit less time on that and you could spare the time." He snorted and Fiona glared at him. "Laziness is a very unattractive trait."

"So is nagging," Greg replied. "And..." He trailed off as Fiona crossed her arms. "OK when do I have the time, between your demands, working two evenings a week, homework and..."

"I am low maintenance!"

Greg grunted. "You are very high maintenance," he replied instantly. "OK not with money, but with time and sex." His father coughed and Greg blushed. "Yeah, and..."

"We'll finish this later," the ferocious girl snapped and smirked as her boyfriend left the room. "I'll sort him out," she promised.

"Well, just go easy on him," Toby begged. "He's been a bit lost this weekend." His eyes narrowed and he looked at Fiona. "I don't think he knows what to think or do!"

"He can help me plot my revenge," she muttered under her breath. "One day," she promised. "One day."

Greg looked up the driveway of the exclusive school. "I'm sorry," Fiona said. "I know I've imposed on you this weekend, and I've not even given you a blow-job." Greg smiled.

"It's fine, I'm just glad you are safe to be honest."

"It's not," Fiona replied instantly. "I like you as a friend, but us being together is just about the sex. You do know that, don't you?"

"Sure I do," Greg said instantly. "And I love you as a friend. And I love being with you." Greg took her hand and kissed her. "But I know we only work because of the sex." Fiona hesitated and he kissed her before she could reply. "And don't forget it," Fiona added and hugged him. "Even with your new responsibilities to your Dad, you still owe me some Gregory time!"

"Yes, I know," he replied quickly and glanced up the road. "I think we should have rang," he told her. "Your parents sounded proper upset on the radio this morning."

Fiona bit her lip. "I know. I didn't know they would come haring down the M6 did I?" He gave a nasal grunt and Fiona touched him on the arm. "But I'm here now," she told him and looked down the drive of the exclusive school she attended. "I mean, I'll see them in ten minutes." Greg nodded and kissed her again.

"You sure you don't want me there?"

"I'll be fine," Fiona promised. "I mean, I know they won't believe me and I'll probably be expelled." Greg looked at her forlornly and she just shrugged. "I mean, so-fucking-what? It's a crap school."